Özgür Özel addresses X management following access bans! 'If you become a tool for anti-democratic practices...'

Protest demonstrations that began following the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on corruption charges turned into a consumer boycott action on April 2.

Following the boycott calls, the social media platform X imposed access bans on numerous news pages at the request of the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).

In a statement on March 23, X management had announced that they would appeal the access ban requests. 

As the access bans continue, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a call to X management in a statement.

In a post shared on his X account, Özel stated the following:

“The most important pillar of a coup attempt is to restrict the public's freedom to receive news. The coup plotters of March 19 are not satisfied with RTÜK's pressure on opposition channels.

Through the BTK, they are trying to impose access bans on opposition accounts that make the nation's voice heard on social media, independent news platforms, and profiles engaged in citizen journalism.

This is my open call to @xturkiye and @GlobalAffairs: This nation tore down and moved past the media order of the coup plotters. We know that you have shut down hundreds of pages to date, thinking 'It won't be noticed anyway.'

If you become a tool for anti-democratic practices today and comply with access ban requests, think carefully about what this nation will do to you!”